Predation of colistin- and carbapenem-resistant bacterial pathogenic populations and their antibiotic resistance genes in simulated microgravity

As mankind evaluates moving toward permanently inhabiting outer space and other planetary bodies, alternatives to antibiotic that can effectively control drug-resistant pathogens are needed. The activity of one such alternative, Bdellovibrio bacteriovorus HD100, was explored here, and was found to be as active or better in simulated microgravity (SMG) conditions as in flask and normal gravity (NG) cultures, with the prey viabilities decreasing by 3-to 7-log CFU/mL in 24 h. The activity of B. bacteriovorus HD100 under SMG was also appraised with three different carbapenem-and colistin-resistant pathogenic bacterial strains. In addition to being more efficient at killing two of these pathogens under SMG conditions (with losses of 5-to 6-log CFU/mL), we also explored the ability of B. bacteriovorus HD100 to hydrolyze the carbapenem-and colistin-resistant gene pools, i.e., mcr-1, blaKPC-2 and blaOXA-51, present in these clinical isolates. We found removal efficiencies of 97.4 & PLUSMN; 0.9 %, 97.8 +/-& nbsp; 0.4 % and 99.3 +/- 0.1 %, respectively, in SMG cultures, while similar reductions were also seen in the flask and NG cultures. These results illustrate the potential applicability of B. bacteriovorus HD100 as an antibiotic to combat the ever-growing threat of multidrug-resistant (MDR) pathogens during spaceflight, such as in the International Space Station (ISS).

Automated summary

As mankind explores the possibility of permanently inhabiting outer space and other planets, finding alternatives to antibiotics for controlling drug-resistant pathogens becomes crucial. This study examines the efficacy of Bdellovibrio bacteriovorus HD100 as an alternative to antibiotics. The results show that the activity of Bdellovibrio bacteriovorus HD100 is similar or even better in simulated microgravity conditions compared to flask and normal gravity cultures. The study also demonstrates that Bdellovibrio bacteriovorus HD100 is effective in killing carbapenem- and colistin-resistant pathogenic bacterial strains and can hydrolyze resistant genes in these clinical isolates. These findings suggest the potential applicability of Bdellovibrio bacteriovorus HD100 as an antibiotic against multidrug-resistant pathogens during spaceflight.